The Urgent Battle in Harris County's HD150 - Only 15 Days Remain

A call to action and a countdown to challenge Valoree Swanson's reign.

The Gilead Wives Club is the name given to many Republican women in the House. The reason they were named this is because of the grouping together and icy stares like this:

Also, these are the women in Texas who have fought hardest to take away women’s rights. Their roles in a Handmaid’s Tale apocalypse would be the wives.

In every hive, there is a queen bee. And in the Gilead Wives Club hive, that queen bee is Representative Valoree Swanson.

With only 15 days left until the filing deadline, Swanson remains unopposed.

Swanson is the puppet master and HBIC. I’ve often referred to her as “Tony Soprano” because she has been known to bully the other Republican women in the Texas House, hold secrets over their heads, and even blackmail them.

Swanson was elected to the House in 2016 in District 150 and was the first woman to ever serve in the Texas Freedom Caucus. However, the Freedom Caucus has expanded this year to include Carrie Isaac, Terri Leo-Wilson, and Ellen Troxclair.

Swanson did have an opponent during the 2022 elections - How did that go?

In the last election, Swanson did have a Democratic challenger, Ginny Brown Daniel. Swanson won by 21 points.

But the turnout in HD150 was only 47.6%. Not even half of all voters showed up. Democrats in Texas massively underperformed in 2022. We all know that.

Here’s the thing, though. The majority of HD150 is non-Anglo. It’s one of the few non-Anglo districts that also happened to be red.

Why is that?

47.6% turnout.

Do the people in HD150 know how terrible Swanson’s voting record has been?

As a Republican Harris County representative, Swanson has made one of her biggest priorities in the Texas House disenfranchisement. She co-sponsored the bill, which ended straight-ticket voting and voted against allowing people to use mail-in voting, voted for withholding election funds from counties, blocked houseless people from voting, and cut voting hours.

Swanson has sat on the House Elections Committee for several sessions and is the House version of Voter Oppression Czar Senator Paul Bettencourt. During the 87th Legislative Session, Swanson teamed up with Briscoe Cain to push the Jim Crow-type legislation, which prompted Democrats to break quorum. And in 2022, when Harris County GOP launched a campaign to disenfranchise disabled people, Swanson was intimately involved.

The only other thing Swanson has focused on, besides the disenfranchisement of Harris County, has been taking away women’s rights and pushing Christofascist ideas, like in 2017 when she co-sponsored a bill to deny adoption placements based on religion. Or how, before abortions were banned, she passed legislation that increased costs and made it harder for minors to obtain. She was also a co-sponsor of the triggering bill, overturning Roe v. Wade. Those bills are just the tip of the iceberg. I would encourage everyone to check out her bills and voting history.

Not only is Swanson targeting her constituents with harm, but she also controls the legislative actions and directions of seven other Republicans.

Voting Valoree Swanson out of office wouldn’t only improve the lives of the people in HD150 but also handicap Texas Republicans.

These are the women Swanson has taken under her wing and legislature to her accord:

• Stephanie Klick

• Candy Noble

• Lacey Hull

• Shelby Slawson

• Carrie Isaac

• Ellen Troxclair

• Caroline Harris

Now, some of these seats could flip in 2024. HD52 held by Harris, and HD138 held by Hull, specifically. That would also hurt the Texas GOP, but flipping HD150 and unseating Swanson would hobble all her minions.

Every pack has an alpha wolf, and Swanson is it for the Republican women in the House.

Why is Swanson leading the pack?

The other GOP women fear her because Swanson has so much pull with big donors, right-wing influencers, and the Freedom Caucus. So, Republican women in the House comply with Swanson and allow themselves to be bullied and pushed around because the consequences for them could be devastating. Loss of donations or being drawn out of their district have all been threats levied against them by Swanson.

These women will be seen in the Capitol traveling in a pack, and when one of them has a bill, they will crowd around her at the podium when she discusses or debates her, which is why they keep giving us so many congenial photos.

If we happen to unseat Valoree Swanson, it would lead to power struggles and chaos. And with only 15 days until the filing deadline, we’re running short on time.

Who would be perfect to run against Swanson?

Someone willing to put in this work and has a vision of a better Texas.

📣There are only 15 days left until the filing deadline. If you or someone you know in Harris County, in HD150, has been mulling a run for office, now is the time.

Here are some more resources to help you get started:

• The Texas Democratic Party’s new program for training and candidate resources is Lone Star Rising.

• If you’re young and progressive (I love you), Run For Something will help you with all stages of your campaign.

• Blue Horizons Texas will help you every step of the way if you’re considering running in a red or rural district.

• If you’re a member of the LGBTQ community, make sure to reach out to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.

• Are you a woman? You can get help running for office from Emily’s List.

• And as soon as possible, contact your County Party to get them on board with your campaign.

Even if running for office isn’t something for you, share this because perhaps someone you know was considering this. Voter turnout is the most important thing, but we have to have the candidates for voters to vote for in the first place. Make sure to spread the word.

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